Levant Arab Republic
The Levant Arab Republic is a nation that spans from Aleppo to Amman, comprising much of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan. The nation is united by a single-party federal government in the capital, Damascus. History Ystovia was the previous power that controlled the region called the Levant in the Middle East and collapsed after the Great Leap that left Facebook Nations and into the NationStates multiverse. The Middle East resulted in anarchy that several groups such as military battalions, paramilitaries and warlords. Levant Unification War Zev Derwish was a commander of a tank battalion in Latakia prior and during this civil war. He got the support of the New Empire of Japan and conquered much of the Levant with the exception of Golan Heights and Gaza. Israeli - Levant Crisis Schism in the Levant Politics The Levant Arab Republic's government is a single-party Federal government dominated by the Ba'th Party of President Derwish. To make the Pan-Arab nation functional the country is governed and divided into the five states: Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Damascus is made the fifth-state to promote a decentralised government. All of the states govern their own domestic policies with some exceptions that Federal law will overpower. General elections are held every two and a half years to determine the members of the Ba'ath Party that will be part of the upper or lower houses. The President is voted strictly within the Ba'ath Party for a five year term. A member can only be a president for two consecutive terms in a lifetime. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President. Military The Levant Armed Forces is the official military of the nation. It is comprised of the Army, Navy and Air Force with the Army the largest branch. Conscription requires all able-bodied men of 18-years old to serve in the Levant Armed Forces for at least 18 months. Service in the military is often necessary for career advancement. Those that object military service are given another option in the construction units, reserved for anyone that can't use weaponry for religious reasons. The New Empire of Japan gives financial support in arming the military. Economy The Levant Arab Republic's economy is small but the sectors within them are diverse. Agriculture, mining, oil, textile and tourism are the largest sectors. Fruits, olives and cotton are farmed in the countryside and trees that can no longer produce olives are cut for handicrafts or furniture. The mines are rich in phosphates. Though oil focuses in the Al-Hasakah region, it still powers cities and is used to manufacture plastics. The textile industry is largely made of cotton but silk has a token presence. Cultural heritages dating back to the Biblical era and the Dead Sea help power the tourism industry. The nation's policy is to promote business while the Federal state controls the essential service. The Private sector mostly dominate Jordan and Lebanon's economy while much of Syria and Palestine are controlled by the public sector. Geography The Levant Arab Republic is in the namesake, the Levant region. Much of the nation is a desert with the population centering in coastal cities. The regions of Lebanon, Tartus, Latakia are blessed with water to empower the agricultural industry. Lake Assad provides a water source for agriculture and hydroelectric power. The Eupharates river starting from the neighbouring Turkey flows through the country into Iraq, also giving a boon for water source. The Republic is connected to the Gulf of Aqaba and the Mediterranean Sea so to an extent, a maritime passage to the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic are available respectively. Demographics Arabs are the largest ethnic group in the nation with minorities made of Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Circassians, Mandaeans, Chechens and Turkmens. Ethnic tensions are kept on bay by the presence of the military and it's international allies, ordered to quell any sectarian violence. Islam is the largest religion with Christian minorities and Islam itself is divided between the Sunni sect and other smaller sects. As a secular nation all religions are protected by law but is kept strictly separate from politics. Arabic is the official language but Hebrew, Kurdish and English are also spoken. Projects The Levant Arab Republic, being a new nation that rose from the ashes are currently undergoing various projects; both civilian and military. A highway project is under construction with restoration of pre-Levant highways a priority. The first construction milestone will be reached when a link to Damascus and Amman are established, followed by extension to East Jerusalem and Beirut. Damascus International Airport is currently under repairs from the war of unification and the formation of a national carrier is under progress. The government hopes that reconstruction of the aviation industry will speed up repairs, using cultural heritages to attract money from tourists. The Jordanian and Palestinian sides of the Dead Sea are looked at for potential. The Lavent government hopes to have a number of resorts complete to attract tourists while promoting cosmetics and medicine made from Dead Sea salt and minerals. Category:New Empire of Japan